Cole's Legacy
by Fawkes Devaue
Summary: After the Charmed Sisters attempt to vanquish Cole, they learn the truth of his possession by the Source. Reeling from their failure to save an innocent & a member of their family, they try to right their wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the Elders reward Cole for his bravery during his possession by the Source and give him a job to do. Possible OC later on. Takes place during and after 4x18
1. Prologue: The Failed Innocent

**A/N: I have always hated how the Charmed Ones never realized that Cole was possessed by the Source, which would technically make him their innocent. So, basically instead of saving their innocent they vanquish him. And can I just point out that killing is still killing and the fact that the Charmed Sisters feel absolutely nothing when they kill (sorry, vanquish – which is basically just a word they use instead of calling** _ **it**_ **killing) a demon is extremely disturbing. I mean killing any person or creature no matter how bad they are is going to be hard to do emotional because in essence you are still taking a life and that takes a toll on a person. Anyway, this is sort of my version of events towards the end of Season Four and the real storyline that I think Cole should've gotten.**

 **NOTE: I do NOT own Charmed or any of its characters; I'm just borrowing them and having a little fun with them. Takes place right during and after the "We're Off to See the Wizard" episode (4x18).**

 **P.S. I'm not entirely certain whether I'm going to make this story a Phoebe/Cole pairing or an OC/Cole pairing. Either one is a possibility, but if I do decide to do the Phoebe/Cole pairing, please note that I will make Phoebe work to get Cole back. I figure Cole deserves as much and given how Phoebe and just the Charmed Ones in general have treated Cole I think that they need to have their mistakes put before them and their definitely going to have to earn their title as "Protectors" and "Heroes" earned back. It's most definitely not going to be easy. I hope you enjoy. Please, read and review and let me know what you think!**

 **P.S.S. Phoebe is NOT pregnant in my version of events!**

 **Prologue: The Failed Innocent**

Everything had gone to hell after Phoebe's vision of Cole being the Source was revealed to her and in turn her sisters, Piper and Paige. Their plan to vanquish him had become top priority, much to the chagrin of their Wizard Guest. Yet, Leo could not help but feel that something was terribly wrong. It made no sense and it seemed so utterly impossible – and he'd said as much, much to the annoyance of Paige (honestly, she thought, why couldn't her sisters just trust her) – after all Cole had been stripped of his powers and was now human (or was human). To say Leo was confused and conflicted was an understatement. Yet, Phoebe's vision was specific. Cole was the Source and right after they stole the Grimoire they all had planned to corner Cole at the penthouse and vanquish him there. On top of Leo's concerns for the Cole Problem, as he had started calling it in his head, his was also equally concerned about the message the Elders had given him and he in turn had given the Charmed Ones about the Ultimate Innocent that they were meant to save. The Elders had informed Leo about a month earlier of an Innocent in so much pain and suffering that if the Charmed Ones were to save him than they would be solidifying themselves as the Ultimate Power of Good for once and for all. It would be the definitive act of good that would in turn make them immune to eventual and possible evil possessions, but it would also make them the most feared witches in the Underworld.

When Leo had shared the Elders' message with the sisters he had also made them aware that Demons would fear them so much that they would attack so rarely that they would be able to lead much more normal lives like they all had dreamed of. The later being a sort of reward from the cosmic force should they save this particular innocent. Yet, despite this opportunity of a sense of normalcy and the honor of saving such a life, Phoebe and Paige were the once that were the least concerned with the Elders' new mission for them. Phoebe was so concerned with her own life, first marrying Cole and then moving out of the manor with him while Paige obsessed over figuring out what Cole was hiding from them.

In the end it was Piper that gave Leo the most help in trying to find their Ultimate Innocent. It was half because she was desperate for the end reward, that concept of a normal life…or at least more normal than it was in that moment, as well as Piper's big heart that drove her to help Leo so faithfully. When Leo had told the sisters that this particular innocent suffered more and was in more pain than any of their past innocents combined, Piper's heart broke. To think that a single person could suffer that much…be in that much pain…it was Piper's natural need to help people that first made Leo fall in love with her – her kindness, her generous heart, her innocence to the evil of the world – it was also Piper's natural need to help others that drove her to throw everything she had into finding and saving their Ultimate Innocent.

Yet, as an entire month went by with no luck, Piper and Leo soon became distracted and consumed by the problems of their own lives. First the demands of the club called Piper away from their mission, while Leo's charges consumed much of his time as well; then it was Phoebe's wedding and in addition her marriage that distracted them from their duty as witches for good. Finally, with Paige's obsession over Cole having to be evil and Phoebe's confirming premonition…suffice it to say…all hell broke loose.

Their mission to help their Wizard Guest steel the Grimoire was put on hold (which was ironic considering if they had the Grimoire they would have been able to read it and find the truth about the Source being a possessing entity). Potions littered the kitchen counters downstairs, Paige's room was littered with crumpled pieces of paper containing variation and revisions of the same vanquishing spell, and Phoebe was often seen either crying over Cole's betrayal and complete and utter rage that drove her to encourage her sisters to help her vanquish him once and for all. Life at the Halliwell manor was hell. Yet, Leo still could not shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen, that there was some major that they were missing…some important detail.

"Are you certain you're ready for this, honey?" asked Paige. She, like Piper, was worried about Phoebe and as they stood surrounding a small round table stacked to the nines with vanquishing potions, defensive potions, and their Source vanquishing spell, both sisters couldn't help but wonder just what the repercussions would be if they went through with their plan to vanquish Cole, the Source.

"Yes. Cole betrayed us, he betrayed our love. We have to do this, not just because were the Charmed Ones but because…" Phoebe honestly didn't know how to word her thoughts. She was hurt, she was angry, and that part of her (a very big part) that wanted revenge for what Cole had done to her and her sisters was becoming all consuming.

"Ok, but you have to be certain because of we go and confront Col-the Source," they were all having a hard time saying his name, as if he were a real living breathing person, so they called him the Source. It helped to distance the hurt and betrayal they felt and it solidified the very reason as to why they had to vanquish him. "If we do this, you can't hesitate. We need to know that you're going to have are backs," said Piper as she referred to herself and Paige.

"I do. I'm ready," replied Phoebe, her voice was hollow and numb, just like her heart was. Cole had done this to her. To them.

"Ok, let's do this," said Piper, resigned to whatever their fate would be in the next few moments. She turned to Leo, who was standing to her right, while Paige – on her left – turned to grab Phoebe's hand. They were just about to orb to the penthouse when Leo received a jingle from the Elders. It was so loud and so discernable that they all heard it.

"Whoa!" said Paige, a bit surprised by the sudden loud sound due to her nerves be so on edge what with what they had all learned and gone through in the last twenty-four hours.

"Uh oh," responded Leo. "They're not happy and their worried. I've never heard them sound so frantic before."

"Are you kidding me!?They're calling you now?!" cried Phoebe "No, we have to do this now. I have to do this now, Leo!"

"She's right, you can always check in with them after," said Piper as she turned to look at Leo. Her response was more out of concern for Phoebe's mental and emotional state than it was for whatever concerns Leo or the Elders had.

Leo was hesitant, but in the end her relented. He understood the toll that the last day had put on the sisters, and they would need all their wits about them and as few distractions as possible in order to keep their nerves and do what needed to be done. So, in two series of bright orbing lights they left the safety of the Halliwell manor and appeared in the neutral toned main room of Cole and Phoebe's penthouse.

Everything happened so fast…

Cole was on his knees begging Phoebe to save him.

Phoebe crying.

Paige trapping Cole in the crystal cage.

Phoebe crying.

Phoebe freezing.

The Source letting loose and string of fireballs aimed and Paige, Leo, and Piper.

Phoebe crying.

Piper yelling, "Phoebe help us, he's going to kill us damn it!"

Phoebe crying.

Paige yelling, "Phoebe!"

Cole begging not just Phoebe, but all of them, his eyes lingering on Leo, begging him to see his pain to see the truth.

Phoebe crying.

Phoebe yelling, "You bastard!" before she finally joined her sisters in the chant to vanquish Cole, to vanquish the Source.

In the end it wasn't his love for Phoebe that saved him, in the end it was self-preservation that saved Cole. His soul, his spirit rose up once more – it had been so weak, the Source's power and evil bearing down upon him over and over again like a constant jack hammer of pain and desperation. With everything that he was with what remained of his will and strength, Cole broke through the surface, he burst from the cage Paige had trapped him in and shimmered to the one final place he hoped he'd get freedom. The explosion he left behind was so fierce, so blinding that the sisters were certain that they had indeed vanquished him.

Cole was blinded by the effervescent light that now surrounded him. It had worked, he had succeeded. There he was "up there" in the very council hall of the Elders. There were twelve of them, and one by one they lowered the hoods of the heavy velvet robes. Their faces were all the same, filled with a mix of sorrow, understanding, a bit of fear, and most of all sympathy. Sympathy for the demon that stood before them.

"Do it," rasped Cole, his arms out spread, welcoming the death or freedom the Elders were surely going to dealt out to him. "Do it!" he screamed, tears running down from his face. Surely these all powerful Elders saw the truth, new that he was possessed by the Source. "Please."

It was the please, whispered so brokenly – broken just like his heart after seeing Phoebe so willing to kill him – that was what made the Elders act. The first bolt of electrical lightning hit Cole from his right, then one on his left, then another and another, until every Elder held on their hands and gave him the full dose of their power. The fire rose up in Cole, emptying from his body before it curled itself into a tight ball, then it disintegrated into dust and all that was left was a man…nothing more, nothing less…lying unconscious on the floor.

When all was done, it was quiet, and as the Elders relaxed their outstretched hands a bright light began to flow through them, reaching out like long glowing fingers to embrace Cole's lone prone defenseless figure on the white floor. The light enveloped him, healing him from the instead out before it to dissipated. When they were done the Elders looked up and saw a shocked, slack jawed Leo gazing at what had just happened before him.

Leo had left the sisters almost immediately after they had vanquished the Source, once and for all, first because he knew with the emotions playing over each of their faces that they would need to be alone to grieve and to comfort Phoebe in her time of need, but also because he needed to know what had been so urgent earlier that the Elders had called him. So he and Paige orbed the girls back to the manor and then he left, giving them so space and peace.

The sight he had orbed in on when he got "up there" was pure shocking and confusing. There was Cole, the Source practically begging the Elders to end him. Afterwards, one of the elders had come to Leo's side and took him somewhere more private to explain what had happened, what had been happening with Cole for some time.

So, when Leo returned to the Halliwell manor three days later, much to Piper's worry, and he had finally had the chance to explain everything to the sisters, their reactions were not quite what he had expected. Piper was utterly speechless and filled with shame. She had never been one to agree with what the Elders did or said in the past but this was certainly something she could see eye to eye with them. Cole had been their Ultimate Innocent, and had they been the ones to save him it would have been definitive proof that they were the strongest source of good over all others. But they had failed, and Piper had never felt so ashamed of herself or her sisters than in that moment. To even imagine the type of pain and suffering Cole had endured for the last few months was unthinkable. Phoebe and Paige were more outspoken in their responses to such news that Cole had been their innocent.

"What! No, no, no, no, no…oh, God!" Phoebe gasped for air as the panic attack took hold over her. Piper leaped forward to try and calm her sister, ease her pain in any way she could.

"Sweetie, oh…honey. I am so sorry. We didn't know. You didn't know," lamented Piper. Her voice was soft and soothing, barely above a whisper. But as Phoebe was not having it, she immediately turned from Piper and looked upon Paige.

"You! You did this! You were the one that told me he was evil! You've never trusted him! You planted doubt in…" Phoebe broke off as the full reality at the fact that she and her sisters had vanquished her husband, the love of her life, fell down upon her like a ton of bricks.

"Because he is evil…was evil!" Paige yelled back, but the frown on her face showed her own doubts, but her pride refused to relent.

"Phoebe, Cole's not dead," said Leo and though his voice had been soft and quiet over the girls yelling, it was still heard and his words immediately froze them all.

"You mean the Source is still alive!" Paige cried out frantically. She was silence by a glare and a pointed disappointed look from both Phoebe and Piper. Paige withdrew into herself. Her sister's hated her, surely. She felt isolated. But then again she had always been the odd one out, always living in Prue's shadow. And here they had trusted her about Cole and now look where that had gotten them all.

Leo explained why Cole had been able to get "up there" how he sacrificed himself, begged the Elders for death. He explained how the Elders had destroyed the source, something that even they had not thought was possible, and how they had healed Cole. On and on Leo's retelling went…

"They think that it was Cole's final last bid for escape from the Source's power, his last remaining strength and will to do what was right that enabled him to bend the Source's power to his will and transport himself "up there."

"Is he…is he alright?" asked Piper as her own guilt at what they had done threatened to clog her throat.

"They're not sure. They're going to keep him up there until they can figure out what to do with him, but I do know that they plan on rewarding him immensely for his courage and for doing the right thing in the end. Surrendering himself to them like that was…was big. However…" Leo's voice died off.

"They're not going to hurt him are they?" cried Phoebe.

"No, but they're not very happy with any of us right now."

"What do you mean?" demanded Paige. The elders couldn't possibly punish them, could they? After all, if it acts like a demon, talks like a demon, and looks like a demon, than chances are it's a demon. So, the elders couldn't possibly punish them for falling prey to the Source's tricks even if it was at the expense of Cole.

"I don't know what they plan but…they are considering stripping you all of your powers and clipping my wings," said Leo. Like Piper he too was ashamed that he hadn't notices Cole's need for his help. He was a Whitelighter and yet he had failed them all the most.

Total chaos erupted from Phoebe and Paige as they exclaimed quite loudly how unfair everything was, which lead to an argument between the two about Cole. Basically ending with Paige's unwillingness to see Cole as anything other than a demon and letting her pride rule her. It was when Phoebe promptly proclaimed that Paige had ruined her marriage and destroyed her life and of course the icing on the top was when Phoebe proclaimed that Paige was not her sister anymore. The two stormed off to their respective rooms, Phoebe to her room to cry over the very real possibility of losing Cole forever and Paige to her room to fume over Phoebe's cruel words. This left Leo and Piper to themselves in the living room.

Piper collapsed onto the couch, leaning forward to prop her elbows on her knees as she let her face fall into her hands. Leo, sensing his wife's despair and pain, immediately went to her side and sat next to her, taking her into his arms.

"I feel so guilty, so ashamed." Piper mumbled brokenly into her hands as she finally allowed herself to cry. She had been forced to hold herself together for the last few days and now that not only had her and her sister's almost killed a member of their own family they had betrayed him in the most deplorable way possible. They hadn't noticed that he had needed help.

"So do I, honey. I feel so helpless, like I failed in my duty as a Whitelighter. I'm meant to help people, and I didn't even notice the one who needed my help the most," said Leo. Piper could hear the self-deprecation in the tone of his voice.

"Did they know? The Elders, did they know any of this would happen?" Piper asked hoping Leo's answer would be yes. She wanted someone other than herself and her family to blame for what happened to her brother in law – a man she had always taken for granted.

"No. They knew Cole was your Ultimate Innocent, but they didn't how, why, or what would make him so. They just knew that we were meant to save him," said Leo as he let Piper cry softly into his shoulder as he ran his hand soothingly through her long dark hair.

"We failed. We failed the Elders, we failed ourselves as the Charmed Ones, and worst we failed Cole. God! We were always so eager to get him to help us, you know. We would always turn to him about our questions about the Source or the Underworld and God only knows how many demons. But we were also so quick to…" Piper broke off in a ragged breath.

"Condemn him, because he was a demon."

"He's helped us fight demons and saved our lives so many times, and when he needed us the most…" Piper took a deep shuddering breath. "Are we any better? Than the demons, I mean?" Piper pulled herself out of Leo's embrace so she could look him in the eyes. "We tried to kill an innocent, we tried to kill Cole. We're the good guys, we're supposed to protect innocents, not murder them. If it hadn't been for Cole finding some strength in the end to go to the Elders than…"

"I know," said Leo as he reached on to caress Piper's tear stained cheeks.

"What's going to happen, Leo? What are the Elders going to do to us? After what we've done…"

Leo turned his face away in shame, "I don't know, Piper. I don't know."

For three weeks the Halliwell manor was a torrent of torn and confused emotions. When Phoebe and Paige weren't giving each other the silent treatment, than they were picking fights with each other. Phoebe always blamed Paige for how her marriage turned out, about them vanquishing Cole. Paige refused to admit that most of her doubts had been fueled by her own selfish pride. As such, that always left Piper to try and play mediator between her two sisters, until one day she decided enough was enough.

They were all in the kitchen, Piper had been forced to pause in making dinner when Paige and Phoebe came tearing through the kitchen door already well into yet another one of their screaming matches, and that was when Piper's cool and calm resolve broke.

"Enough! I have had it with you two. You are my sisters and I would die if I lost you, but right now I can't stand you. You two are so down each other's throats blaming each other instead of focusing on the fact that we practically destroyed Cole, a member of this family. And on top of that neither one of you seems at all concerned with what the Elders could have planned in our punishments for failing to do our job," screeched Piper. "Now, I know you're hurting," said Piper as she turned to focus on Phoebe. "But, Cole was your husband and you can't just blame us and us alone for trying to kill Cole." Piper motioned between her and Paige. "You played a part in it, too, Phoebe. I know that it's hard to accept but you need to. He was your husband and you, little miss I-have-a-degree-in-psychology, did not even think to notice that the man you love was in pain and being _possessed_ by the Source of all evil!" Piper put an emphasis on the word 'possessed' so as not to put the Source's actions while in Cole's body on Cole's innocent shoulders. "And as for you, missy Paige!" Piper whorled around to face her youngest sister. "You may be our sister, but if you want to be a part of this family than you need to kiss your pride goodbye and own up to your mistakes. Using Cole as a scapegoat for your own insecurities and putting the two of use against him just to prove yourself as a witch was NOT okay!"

Piper took a deep breath as at this point both Paige and Phoebe were in complete shock that rendered them both speechless as they realized just how much all of this was effecting Piper, and just how right she really was.

"No, I have accepted my part in our attempt at Cole's demise and you know what, I feel like crap. I feel dirty, ashamed, and like I failed our Charmed legacy. But guess what, so did you two! So accept it, deal with it, and try to make amends or…" at this point Piper just didn't know what else to say. With a heavy resigned sigh she left the kitchen. Paige and Phoebe tried to follow her but they only got as far as the bottom of the stairs before Piper looked over her shoulder and gave them both a look that clearly said, "back off."

Later that night with no hope of getting any sleep, Paige meandered down to the kitchen to get something to calm her nerves when she spotted Phoebe sitting cross legged at the dining room table. Phoebe didn't so much as look up when Paige took a seat across from her, her eyes remained downturned as she stared at the quickly cooling cup of tea that was held in her hands.

"Couldn't sleep," asked Phoebe, her voice sounded raw as if she'd been crying.

"Yeah, I uh…I haven't been able to sleep since…" since they'd tried to kill Cole but Paige couldn't say the last part.

"Yeah, me either."

"Phoebe, I…I'm sorry," said Paige as she finally let the tears of shame that she'd been holding in for weeks now fall. "I am so sorry. I…I knew something was wrong with Cole, but I just automatically assumed…"

"You thought that because he was a demon in his past that whatever was happening with him was his fault," said Phoebe. "You didn't think that he could be the victim." As Phoebe looked up she could see Paige's nod in affirmation. "I know you are. It wasn't just you, though. I mean, I'm his wife and instead of saving him when he needed me I tried to…"

"We really messed up big time, didn't we?" Paige's tone was sad and resigned. Phoebe nodded. Just then they saw Piper walk down the stairs and towards them.

"Are you two actually talking and acting like grownups or are you still fighting each other?" asked Piper, her tone was flippant. She calmed a little when she saw the guilty expressions on her sister's faces. Piper pulled a chair out for herself and sat at the front end of the table, but before she could respond Leo orbed into the room in front of them. For the past three weeks Leo had been almost on constant call, almost always leaving after he would arrive home, the Elders had still been trying to decide what to do with them all.

"Hey," was Leo's unenthusiastic greeting.

"Have they decided what they're going to do with us?" asked Piper, Phoebe and Paige only just remembering what Piper had reminded them about the Elders planning on punishing them for their failure.

"Yeah, they have," replied Leo.

"So, what's the verdict," asked Piper, her voice sounded quiet as if she had already reconciled with their fate.

"Well, they've frozen Paige's orbing power and Phoebe's levitation power," said Leo.

"What do you mean frozen?" asked Paige.

"Well, because you guys were technically born with your powers they can't really take them away but they can put the pause button on them so to speak," explained Leo.

"And us?" asked Piper as she referred to her and Leo. She feared the worst. Would the Elders force them apart?

"Well, they're not going to take away any of your powers, they don't want to leave the Charmed Ones completely defenseless, and they're not going to clip my wings…"

"But?"

"But they…uh. We're not allowed to have kids," said Leo. Piper closed her eyes as a sudden painful clench gripped her heart. "At least not until we prove we can be a proper family."

Piper was relieved that none of their punishments were technically permanent, but still, they were tough punishments to swallow, no matter how well deserved they were.

"What about Cole? How's he doing? Are they going to keep him "up there"?" asked Paige, her voice filled with remorse.

"Um, I didn't really get a chance to talk to him this time…"

"You've talked to him? Leo, please, did he sound ok? Can I see him?" Phoebe's voice was pleading and desperate.

"He's as well as can be expected. I told him we were sorry, that I was sorry that I wasn't there for him. He seemed to accept that, but he's very despondent right now. The Elders did reward him though."

"Really, what did they do?" asked Phoebe, glad that the Elders had acknowledged Cole as an innocent victim but also acknowledged him for his courage for not letting the Source completely take him over, especially since he was human during the time of the possession.

"They took away all the demonic powers that he had while he was the Source. He is truly human now, but they also gave him an Elders' powers as well as a couple of witch powers. You know, powers he could do some real good with," answered Leo.

"Wait they made him an Elder?" asked Paige who was a bit shocked, meanwhile Phoebe was worried that if that was the case than she and Cole might not be allowed to be together.

"He just has the powers of an Elder, not the actual title so no not really and Elder. They also gave him the witch power of Teleportation and plus he can do spells now."

"Can I see him?" Phoebe asked again, her voice becoming more desperate.

"Well, yeah I guess but I don't think he returned to the penthouse. The Elders offered him a job, help keep him occupied so he doesn't fall into a depression. He accepted their offer; so, I don't know when he'll be back. I guess you could call him, but…" _It's up to Cole whether he wants to see you or not, or any of us for that matter._ Leo didn't voice his last thought, but he had a feeling that Cole would want a great deal of space from all of them for some time to deal with his heart ache. Phoebe looked on in despair, desperate to not lose the only man she had ever truly loved.

"Well, whether we see Cole or not, I still think we should contact him or…something. We have a lot we need to apologize for," said Piper, Phoebe and Paige gave identical nods of verification.

"Just out of curiosity, what kind of job did they give Cole?" asked Paige.

"They made him the guardian of a young witch, Elle Castor, she lost all of her family to the last Source and they figured since Cole was a demon in the past and his experience with them, plus being possessed by the Source, and his experiences with us…they figured he's be the perfect person to train her. She's very powerful, more powerful then all of you and she has the ability to possibly become the Ultimate Power for Good, especially since you guys…" Leo trailed off, not having the strength to say what needed to be said next.

"Failed as the Charmed Ones," said Piper. She remembered what the Elders' message had been a couple months ago about how if they saved the Ultimate Innocent they would be considered the greatest force for good, but they had failed, and now someone else would have the honor and the privilege that they had once had. The look on Leo's face was all the confirmation that Piper needed.

So, while Paige – after finally accepting her own guilt and giving up her pride – finally went to sleep for the first time in weeks. Phoebe went to her room to try and call Cole and try and get him to understand that she still loves him and that they could still have a chance to be together. Piper remained sitting at the dining room table, Leo joined her after her sisters had left and gone to their own rooms.

Piper knew that they were still the Charmed Ones, they still had the Power of Three, but there was an emptiness inside of her that wondered if they'd ever be the force of good they had been ever again. Had they ruined their destiny? Was their legacy destroyed? Leo comforted her in the best way he knew how.

A sense of resolution washed over the Halliwell manor and the young witches and Whitelighter that lived there. Whatever came next, they would do their best to do the right thing…this time.

 **A/N: I hate how TV shows, once they replace a character with someone else (the way Prue was replaced with Paige) how they try to draw so much similarities between them that they cease to be their own individual characters. Paige was, like Prue, the one who always found fault with Cole and thought he was evil when she found out the kind of demon he really** _ **was**_ **, and from that moment on she condemned him…never really giving him a chance. On top of that, the Cole debacle of season four and five was just heartbreaking. The Charmed Ones can be possessed, put under evil spells, do something horrible and still excuse themselves and even their innocents for it. But when Cole was tricked by the Seer and possessed by the Source they don't save him…they vanquished him. I mean, even back in season one during the episode "The Fourth Sister" when Phoebe befriended Aviva and she was possessed by Cali…they still saved her and she was a complete stranger. Then there are all the times they condemn Cole in season five, but are always asking him for help whenever they or just phoebe was in trouble. Let's all just face it; the Charmed Ones had no real tolerance or understanding (which is not a good thing to promote given the racist and judging world we live in today) when it came to people other than themselves. I also hated how black and white the show made the concept of good vs. evil. You were either good or evil, and if you were born with any part of demons' blood in you (like Cole, or that half Demon baby they** _ **did**_ **save) than you were condemned.**

 **Cole was born half demon, his mother murdered his father (who raised him when he was super young) and then his mother raised him to be a demon, and in spite of a century of bad deeds he still chose above all else to do his best and try to be as good as he could be. He even fell in love with Phoebe. Yet, the Charmed show basically told the world that if your like Cole, if you have made mistakes, don't even bother changing because you'll never be more than what you already are. In the end, I believe it was the constant rejection by Phoebe and how often she and her sisters told him he was evil that eventually turned him evil. Like a self-fulfilling prophecy!**

 **NOTE: The reason I had the Elders give Cole a job along with a new set of "good" powers was so that Cole would get the real chance to do some good, the chance the Charmed Ones never really gave him because they were always so focused on his demonic powers, him being the Source, and his past as a demon.**

 **Please, review and let me know what you think!**


	2. 1 We Were Victims of the Night

**5/7/2016: Not an update yet, just made a minor correction, but the next chapter will be posted in a day or two. First free time I've had in months for fanfic writing. Keep your eyes open for Chapter 2.**

 **A/N: I hope the length and action of this chapter makes up for its delayed posting. Please, let me know what you think. I welcome both negative and positive criticism. Read and review!**

 **Chapter 1) We Were Victims of the Night**

The last six months had been eventful for sure. Between the immense number of demon attacks – caused mostly because of their failure to save Cole and kill the Source which left every demon thinking the Charmed Ones had been weakened and therefore must be easy pickings – and Phoebe thinking she must be pregnant, the Halliwell sisters had yet to get a moment to really register just what their lives had become. Piper tried to look on the bright side of everything and even went as far as to redecorate and refurnish her club, P3. The Elders had been pretty pleased with how Leo was handling everything, working twice as hard at his job and being more serious about getting the sisters to follow the rules better, and as such the Elders had given him the reward by making him Elle Castor's new Whitelighter. However, this also meant that he had been seeing a great deal of Cole, what with Elle being Cole's ward (Cole refused to call her his charge since he was not a Whitelighter nor was he an Elder, even if he did have the powers of one). Leo didn't mind seeing Cole on basically a regular basis; it certainly gave him the opportunity to make up for his wrongs in regard to Cole and how they left things as brothers-in-laws. Ironically, Cole and Leo had been friendlier towards each other and getting along better now than they ever did when they were related even if only by marriage. There had even been a couple occasions in the last six months when Leo and Cole had gotten together just to do guy stuff (much to Phoebe annoyance). No, it was the fact that Leo got to see Cole while the sisters didn't that had created tension in the Halliwell manor.

Piper understood where Cole was coming from. It would be hard for him to face the three witches, one being his wife and the others her sisters, who tried to kill him. So, she took it in stride and when Cole was ready to face the rest of her family, she would be there waiting to give him a proper apology. Paige was also a bit understanding, but while she longed to apologize to Cole she was also deeply embarrassed by her behavior towards him and was happy to just avoid him all together. To say Phoebe was a bit less understanding was an understatement. She was desperate to have things go on as they had before the whole Source debacle. Her feelings on the subject were merely reinforced when she'd thought she might be pregnant, and when she'd even gotten the news from their family doctor that she was she had thought it was the perfect sign that things would be ok between her and Cole.

There had been two problems with that. First, Cole was not around for her to give the good news to and the likelihood of him coming back was growing slimmer and slimmer every day. After a week of holding the news in it had finally burst forth one night during dinner with her family. They had expressed their congratulations but none of them could help but wonder how it could turn out well. It was at Piper's urging that Leo had passed along the news to Cole the next time he saw him, and it was also at Piper's urging that he do the same when it was revealed to Phoebe that the doctor had been wrong and it had been a false positive. It had happened about a week after the news and Piper had gone with Phoebe to her first ultrasound appointment when they learned that Phoebe was in fact _not_ pregnant. Phoebe had been expectedly heartbroken over it but Piper had a feeling that her sister's sadness was due more to the fact that she couldn't use the news of the baby to draw Cole back home and back into their family. Phoebe's intentions to do just that had not been based on malicious intent but simply that…she wanted her husband back. She wanted to be happy again. It was understandable and even natural, but perhaps not the best way to go about things as Piper had explained to her younger sister which was why she had urged Leo to inform Cole the next time he saw him that it had been a false positive. In Piper and Leo's minds, they had already wronged Cole once and if they were going to be a family again they would start things off with Cole the right way. Honestly.

Phoebe tried to act happy and strong for her sisters, but she could not lie to herself that things in her life, in her marriage, were not going at all like she imagined them. It was a short time after the reveal of her false pregnancy that Leo announced to the family that the Charmed Ones and one other witch would be his only charges since the Elders felt that it would enable Leo to do his job better if he wasn't stretched so thinly job wise. As such, while they ate dinner and just seconds after Leo's announcement, Paige had immediately asked the question that he had hoped to avoid, "Who's your new charge, Leo?" asked Paige pleasantly.

"It's a young woman and she's…umm…her name's…Elle, Elle Castor," said Leo. "Could you pass the butter?" he asked as he grabbed another one of Piper's delicious homemade bread rolls, praying the sisters would take a hint.

"Wait…isn't she…" Piper's eyes widened as she realized what Leo was saying and promptly followed him in changing the subject. "Uh…sure, honey. Here…" said Piper in an overly cheerful manner as she passed Leo the butter and promptly asked, "Does anyone want any more salad?"

"Am I missing something here?" asked Paige with a look of confusion written over her face.

"Nothing…" mumbled Leo, hoping and praying…

"Elle Castor? Isn't she the witch that Cole is training?" asked Phoebe, her voice was shallow and guarded. She hadn't really worried about the prospect of Cole being alone constantly with another woman, but then again she had thought his student was a young girl, like a kid or a teenager, but due to Leo's use of the term 'young _woman'_ Phoebe was beginning to think that as Cole's wife (however estranged she may be) she should be worried.

"Oh…" said Paige as she and Piper began to realize just what might set their sister off any minute now.

"Well, w-what does she look like? Are they close? Are they…" Phoebe did not want to voice what she about to say next, but the very idea that Cole was right now shacking up with some young female witch was a bit more than she could handle and as such she was not exactly thinking straight.

"Umm…well…" by the look of shy reluctance and the slight blush that crossed Leo's features, Phoebe was pretty certain she knew all she needed to know.

"Unbelievable! Were still married and he's…" Phoebe spluttered in unrestrained shock, hurt, and fury.

"Well, we did try to kill him. Don't you think he deserves to be happy?" asked Paige, her voice was quiet and subdued. Phoebe immediately turned on her with a look of hurt before she gave and undignified huff (which sounded more like a strangled snort) and stormed up to her room.

"That might not have been the most tactful way to put it, Paige," said Piper as she looked at her sister with a tired and pointed look.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that once I realized how unfair I had been to Cole in the past…I don't know. It was just kind of nice to know we didn't completely destroy him. At least emotionally," said Paige.

"I know, sweetie," said Piper as she reached across the table to take her sister's hand in comfort. "I'm glad Cole is moving on, whether this charge of his is just his job, a friend, or something more."

"Well, maybe Leo can clarify things for us," said Paige with a cheeky smile. She and Piper smirked as they turned to look at Leo who had his face turned so far down, in the hopes that the sisters wouldn't notice him and therefore wouldn't ask any questions, he looked as if he were about to go head first into his dinner plate. Leo glanced up when he felt the sisters' stare. "Well, what's she like?"

"Umm…well, she's…pretty," said Leo uncertainly. "She's really humble, and with Cole's training she could certainly kick all our asses, she's nice and…she…she doesn't really see the effect she has on people," said Leo. The latter description of her character made Piper smile softly. Paige, however, had more descriptive questions in mind.

"Pretty, huh? How pretty?" asked Paige as she tried to smother her own cheeky grin.

"Ummm…" Leo was not at all certain how he could answer that question without getting into some sort of trouble with Paige or his wife.

"Come on Leo! What does she look like? What are her powers? Come on, give us the good stuff!" said Paige with a little too much enthusiasm. In truth, she would rather focus on Cole's potential love life rather than her own consuming guilt.

"Well, she's a red head…a natural red head, dark red hair, almost auburn. It's curly but not frizzy. Kind of pale. She's got really unique but weird colored eyes, sort of like lavender like Elizabeth Taylor. Maybe an inch or two taller than Piper. She's really feminine looking, but she's doesn't really emphasis her looks with her clothing. She's a practical in her style, I would say. Young…" Leo's careful rant was interrupted by Piper this time.

"How young?" Piper asked out of curiosity. She didn't really care if Leo thought Elle Castor was pretty or not. She was secure enough in her husband's love for her, as his wife, that he could appreciate another woman's natural beauty without being attracted to another woman. She was more concerned about how young Cole's charge was due to the fact that she knew the life of a witch could be a stressful and draining one, not to mention dangerous, and as such she was concerned for another woman and the toll Elle might face as an acting witch.

"Oh, twenty-one. She'll be twenty-two in a few more months. Cole's really been working with her on physical strength and training. She's always been gifted with her powers but it's smart to learn other ways to fight," replied Leo. Of course, thought Paige and Piper. You should never really solely on one's powers; after all you never knew when they'd be taken away from you.

"What about her powers?" asked Paige, her interest now morphing from sisterly teasing to Wiccan curiosity. The different powers that witches could possess were fascinating to her.

"Well, she has telekinesis to the extreme. I once caught Cole training her to use it to lift an entire building," said Leo, the awe clear in his voice as Piper and Paige's eyes widened in shock. "She also has a teleporting power. It was the one power she had any trouble with, which was why the Elder's gave that power to Cole. It made it easier for him to help her perfect it if he knew how to do it too. She also has a level of control over fire…"

"Whoa! How?" asked Paige. She'd always thought powers that dealt with fire or explosives were demonic, but as she recalled Piper's exploding power she had yet another one of her perceptions of good and evil unveiled. Obviously it was what one did with their powers that made them good or evil, not the power itself. After all, Cole had used his – what she had once considered _demonic_ – powers for good for a couple of years now.

"Well, she can create small sparks by snapping her fingers. Sort of like a never ending lighter. But she can also control it in mass quantities. Like fireballs that demons might use on her. She can make them larger and use them against the demons themselves. I've also seen her blow on a candle and light it with her breath, and even snap her fingers to start a small fire in a fireplace once. Then there's her other power…"

"Whoa! Wait! She has four powers?" asked Paige in awe.

"I didn't even know person could have that many powers," added Piper.

"Uh, yeah. She can also copy powers for a brief amount of time. Any witch or demon, even Elders and Whitelighters, that are in close proximity to her she can use their powers, too. For instance she can through lightning from her hands, just like Elder's can, right now because Cole can and she's always with Cole." Leo's explanation seemed to shock the two sisters in the most extreme.

"Holy crap! That's like having five powers in one!" said Paige.

"Yeah, "said Leo, "But it's all at a price."

"What do you mean?" asked Piper as she and Paige finally went back to eating their food leisurely.

"Well, each of Elle's powers are extremely powerful all on their own. I mean, her spells have the same power level as one of your Power of Three spells. Add to that the fact that she can copy powers…well, it can be a bit overwhelming for her to control all that power," said Leo. Piper could understand completely as she recalled what it was like when her powers had expanded and the Elders had _blessed_ her with her exploding power. Having all of that power bottled up would be hard on anyone, especially a young woman. "That's another reason why the Elders chose Cole to guard and train her."

"Because he knows what it's like having power trying to take you over," said Paige as their conversation made a direct turn for once again reminding them all what they had done to Cole, or in this case, what they had failed to do.

"Well, it is a comfort to know that someone so young, powerful, and with so much potential for being the Ultimate Power is in good hands," said Piper sincerely. "It's also nice to know that Cole has a purpose beyond what we've done to him."

The conversation tapered off from there and as they finished dinner, cleared the table, and did the dishes, the lateness of the hour gave them all a reason to retire to their rooms for a much needed night's sleep. The lights in the house were off when Paige exited the second floor bathroom that was located – and shared – between Phoebe's room and her own. She was just about to open her own bedroom door after she'd finished brushing her teeth when she heard the distinct sniffling sounds of someone crying. Paige turned to Phoebe's bedroom door, which was left open just a crack with a small sliver of light leaking into the otherwise darkened hallway, and realized that the sound was Phoebe. With a deep breath Paige stepped forward in the hall, once again passing the now closed bathroom door, and discretely opened Phoebe's door.

"Hey honey. Can I come in?" Paige asked, her voice was soft but wary.

"Oh," sniffed Phoebe, "Um…sure." She whipped her nose with a tissue before adding it to the growing pile on her bed.

Paige eased her way into her sister's room and sat placidly at the end of Phoebe's bed, the only spot that wasn't covered in wadded up tissues, before she asked the obvious question, "How are you doing?" Phoebe gave her an arched look from beneath her puffy tear streaked eyes. "Right, stupid question." Paige took another calming breath in the hopes that she'd say the right thing without incurring Phoebe's anger. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just…I just never pictured my life to turn out this way. Even when I first became a witch, you know? By then I sort of accepted that my life would never be normal, that my love life wouldn't be…normal. Then I fall for a demon, who just so happened to also be a great guy, only for me to screw things up because I couldn't really see what was happening to him. Now he's off protecting some witch and I'm worried that…maybe he'll just…forget about me." The last was said in a broken sob that ripped through Phoebe.

Paige nodded in understanding, but she was also a bit worried that Phoebe was only seeing her own side of things. "Well, that's all understandable. Cole is spending his days with a young powerful witch, but he's also doing it because, I think, it give him a purpose beyond…well, you…and the rest of this family." Paige chanced looking and Phoebe and tried not to flinch at the dark frown that her sister was sending her way. "One of the things that I've had to accept and realize over the last couple of months is that, Piper was right. All of us, you, me, Piper, Leo…we all hurt Cole in our own way. Now, I feel my own guilt and shame…God knows I have never felt so utterly…dirty. You know? But, as horrid as those feelings are, Cole's got to be feeling a lot worse. The four people he loved and trusted the most failed him. Would it really be so wrong for him to be happy somewhere else…with someone else?" As Paige finished talking she could see a flash of anger spark through Phoebe but she also saw something else. Fear, perhaps? Fear of losing the man she loved. What Phoebe felt was understandable, but what Cole felt was perhaps the more important.

"I can't lose him Paige. I won't. I'm going to fight for him. I'm not going to give up on a marriage that I've probably screwed up on. I just…I can't give up," said Phoebe.

"Ok," was Paige's only reply, and after a prolonged awkward silence she left Phoebe in her despair and decided to go down to the kitchen for a cup of tea before she went to bed. Paige was a bit distracted in her own thoughts about how things might end between Phoebe and Cole that she didn't realize that the kitchen light was on until she was standing in the middle of said kitchen. Paige frowned, wondering which of them had forgotten to turn of the light.

"Hey." It was Piper's small but sudden voice that caused Paige to jump and let loose a slightly strangled, Oh!" before she spun around and spotted her sister sitting at the small six-person table in the breakfast nook.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," said Piper, a slight smile twitching at the corners of her lips.

"Oh, no. It's fine. Hey, want a cup of tea? I thought I'd have one before heading to bed," asked Paige as she filled the metal tea pot with water before placing it on the gas stove to heat.

"Sure. Tea would be nice, especially now," said Piper as she turned her head back down to the small stack of stationary she had out in front of her on the table.

"Watcha doin'?" asked Paige. She was setting two coffee mugs onto the counter when the tea pot began to whistle that it was done.

"Um…I am writing a letter…to Cole," said Piper as she looked back up and watched Paige make their tea. The soft clunking sound that the cups made as Paige set them down, sitting in the chair across from Piper, sounded louder than it probably really was. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," said Paige. "So, a letter. Think that's going to be enough to get Cole to forgive us?"

"No, but I have to start somewhere. It might not be much, but I think he should at least know how sorry we are…how sorry I am."

"You're right," said Paige as she held out her hand. "You mind if I join you?" Piper gave a soft understanding smile before she handed over a couple sheets of paper and another pen. After an hour, some teary eyes, and a couple sniffles later, they were done. Putting their respective letter into two separate envelops and leaving them on the kitchen table before they headed up to their own rooms.

"Hey Piper?"

Piper paused just as she was about to open her own bedroom door and turned back to look at Paige who was standing at the other end of the dark hallway. "Yeah?"

"Do you think…do you think we'll ever see Cole again?" Paige asked in a whisper in the hopes of not waking Phoebe who, consider her now darkened room, was now asleep.

"I hope so. It's strange. I used to worry about having a demon in the family and now…now it feels like were all a little incomplete without him around."

"Yeah. Hey, don't ever tell anyone but, I kinda miss his snarky attitude," said Paige with a sheepish smile.

Piper muffled her laugh in her hand. "Yeah, me too." Piper and Paige bid each other goodnight before heading into their respective bedrooms. Piper immediately crawled back into bed with Leo who was still slightly awake as he wrapped her up in his arms.

"Did you finish your letter?" he asked as he placed a gently kiss onto her forehead.

"Yeah. Paige ended up writing one, too." said Piper as she burrowed deeper into the love and warmth Leo provided for her. "Hey, Leo…could you…"

"I give them both to Cole the next time I see him," said Leo, his voice filled with understanding. Unknown to Piper, he had written his own letter to Cole as well.

"Thank you for being…you," said Piper a small smile graced her mouth, but she was met with a slight snore from Leo. He was asleep.

It was a month later when Phoebe's worst fears came true. She was at work when she got the courier envelope that held the divorce papers Cole had filed for. She ran out of her office in utter distress, not even Elise's angry shouting could stop her, and raced home in the hopes that her sisters would comfort her. Phoebe's violent burst through the front door drew Leo out of his nap that he'd been taking on the couch and a frantic Piper out of the kitchen wielding a spatula around like some sort of sword. "Hey, what's going on down there?" was Paige's frantic yell as she was drawn down from the attic, clamoring down the stairs wielding an atheme that had no doubt been left over from one of their past demon vanquishes. "Is there a demon?"

"What? No! It's worse! Way worse!" Phoebe practically screeched as she waved the envelope around with her thumb and forefinger as if it were some sort of dead diseased animal.

"What?" asked Leo as he raced out into the foyer dreading any potential bad news.

"He's divorcing me?" said Phoebe. It appeared her anger and frustration was the only thing keeping her from bursting into desperate tears of despair.

"Oh," said Paige.

"OH!" yelled Phoebe. "My marriage is ending, because of you, and all you can say is OH!?"

"PHOEBE!" yelled Piper. Her sharp scold caught Phoebe in her own words as she realized that she had once again put all the blame on Paige.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean that." Phoebe's apology was accepted with a jarring nod from Paige, but Paige still couldn't seem to keep the look of hurt off her face. Everyone made their way back to the kitchen, mostly so Piper could clean off the spatula she had been waving around which was covered in her famous spaghetti red sauce and was beginning to drip all over the place.

Once Piper had put the sauce on a low simmer she had joined the others at the table to the side within the smaller kitchen nook. Paige was the first to speak, Phoebe's anger be damned. "Maybe this is a good thing."

Phoebe was about to start screaming once more when she saw the hard pointed look from Piper. She cooled her rage at Paige's words and instead adopted a cold sarcasm when she spoke next, "Really Paige, how exactly is my marriage ending a good thing!?"

"Well, it's obvious that Cole hasn't quite…forgiven you, or any of us for that matter," said Paige. Piper couldn't help but agree considering Leo had brought now word or message about Cole after he'd given him their letters of apology. "He obviously needs time and some space. Maybe if you were to sign the divorce papers," Paige decided to ignore Phoebe outraged incoherent spluttering, "it would show him that you understand. That you understand that he needs time and space and maybe that will help him see just how sorry you…we all are."

"Paige is right, sweetie. I know you're hurting, but I think Cole's feelings are what matter the most right now. And maybe if he realizes that you understand what he's feeling and that you realize that he needs time, maybe he'll…"

"Come back," said Phoebe as she completed Piper's thoughts.

"Yeah."

"Do you guys really believe that?"

"I think what matters is what Cole needs right now, and if this is it than, after everything are you really going to deny him the chance to be happy…even if it's not with you," said Leo.

Phoebe let out a shattered breath before she gave a weak, "Ok." Her signature on the divorce papers was sloppy and hesitant but if it made Cole realize just how much she needed him than that's what she'd do.

It was six months to the day since they'd attempted to vanquish Cole – Piper was dealing with her regret, Paige was dealing with her guilt, while Phoebe dealt with her heartache the only way she knew how…with sex – when Leo had been called away by Elle and Cole's frantic yells for help. It was early in the morning, Phoebe had yet to come home from yet another one-night-stand (a pattern that had started three weeks earlier in an attempt for Phoebe to find some sort of comfort from Cole's absence), when Leo, Paige, and Piper's breakfast was interrupted by Leo's frantic worry due to his two charge's pleas for aid.

"Whoa, Leo! What's wrong?" asked Paige.

"It's Cole and Elle. Elle's injured badly. Really bad! I may need to bring them here. Piper I need you to get whatever first aid we have ready just in case my healings not enough," ordered Leo, his voice frantic and seemingly out of breathe as he prepared to orb to Elle and Cole's aid.

"Of course," was Piper's soft reply as she jumped from the kitchen table and raced out of the kitchen in search of all of their first aid kits around the house.

"Whoa! I thought Cole had the same powers of an Elder. Why can't he heal her himself?" asked Paige in confusion.

"What? No, he's not an actual Elder, he…I'll explain that later," said Leo before he promptly orbed out.

Paige remained at the breakfast table with a look of odd confusion stuck on her face before she was jolted back to reality by Piper's frantic yell, "PAIGE!" coming from the attic.

"Oh, right. COMING!" replied Paige as she ran through the house and up to the attic. She was really missing her orbing power, only now realizing just ho helpful it was ever since the Elders had paused said power. She arrived in the attic to see Piper drop all of their first aid kits; she'd undoubtedly gotten from bathrooms throughout the house, onto the small round table that stood at attention in the center of the attic. "Do you think that's going to be enough?" asked Paige as she helped Piper open the kits in preparation for whatever wounds Cole and Elle might have.

"I hope so. Leo sounded really worried so…wait, go to the linen closet and get some spare towels just in case the gauze isn't enough. Don't bother running, just orb," said Piper, her voice was soft but authoritative in her orders.

"Uh, Piper? I can't orb, remember?" said Paige, her frustration evident in her voice.

"Oh, right. Well…RUN!" ordered Piper.

Paige promptly did as she was told. However, in the last year of being a witch and seeing her fair share of wounds both in her wiccan duties and while she was a social worker, nothing prepared her for what she saw when she ran back into the attic. Piper had turned towards the sound of Paige's clacking heeled boots when Leo, Cole, and a young woman who was undoubtedly Elle Castor, crash-orbed onto the attic floor.

Paige was the first to voice what both she and Piper were thinking when they saw the sight before them, "Oh my God!" The pair of them was frozen for a second or two before they were bursting into action.

Leo had been healing mid-orb, his hands already hovering over Elle's head to mend the gash that was clearly present upon her left temple. She was unconscious due to the blow to her head as they landed in the center of the attic floor, however, once the wound was healed Elle promptly woke with a guttural scream that seemed to chill Piper's soul and make the hair on Paige's arm stand on end. Piper fell at the young woman's side, trying best to avoid the pained girls thrashing arms and legs. Paige, noticing the open wounds on Cole's right shoulder and over his left rib cage immediately grabbed one of the towels she'd grabbed and went to put pressure on his bleeding wounds until Leo could heal him. She was just about to apply the fabric of the towel to the wound when she realized that it was already slowly healing itself.

"I'm fine, just help her!" Cole's frantic, angered cry made Paige jump before she instead turned to apply pressure to the open wound on the younger girl left leg.

"I need you guys to keep her still and slow her bleeding," barked Leo as he moved from Elle's now healed head wound and tended to the deep gash right next to her heart just below her left shoulder. Paige kept pressure on the girl's leg as she positioned the rest of her body over her bucking hips and thrashing right leg. Cole was already using his bare hands to stem the flow of blood from the wound on Elle's lower abdomen. Piper placed her upper body strength upon the girl's shoulder.

As Leo finished healing Elle's shoulder wound and moved to her leg, she let loose another feral scream as he tore off the blood soaked towel Paige had used to put pressure on that particular wound. As Elle tried to find something to hold on to, her arms continued to lash, her hands clawing at the attic's carpet covered wood floor frantically. Piper noticed the movement and immediately yanked the girl's hand into her own before turning to Paige. "Paige, her hand," said Piper with a brief glance at the girls other thrashing hand. Paige quickly crawled around Cole and the girl to sit by her head as she too took the girl's blood slick hand.

"Hey, look at me! It's going to be alright now," said Piper, her voice soothing but commanding at the same time. Cole was silent the whole time, a frown of worry etched on his face. He refused to move his hands from the wound on Elle's abdomen. "Leo's healing you and it'll all be over soon. You're going to be just fine. The demons can't get you anymore, honey, you're safe now." As Piper did what she could to sooth the bleeding Elle Castor, Paige reached over and grabbed another towel as she began to gently wipe the blood and streaks of dirt from the girls pained face.

"C-Cole?" It was the only sound she continued to make once she was done screaming. "C-Cole!" Cole did not allow himself to respond to Elle's frantic cries for him until Leo shoved his hands away from the remaining open wound on her abdomen and began to heal her once more.

"Elle? Ssh, ssh, it alright now," said Cole, his voice no higher than a whisper as he gently caressed her face with his bloody hands, not caring that he was streaking her skin with her own blood once more just after Paige had cleaned her so carefully. No one cared about the mess; they were just in too much awe at the sight that was occurring before them.

Cole's voice grew panicked as Elle's eyes rolled up into her head, her lids falling shut, just as the rest of her body finally went slack. "Elle? Elle!" Cole turned to look frantically at Leo.

Paige gasped as Leo yanked Elle's hand out of her own, two fingers held steady over the girl's wrist. Leo's body, much like Elle's, un-tensed as he said, "She's fine. She's alive, just passed out."

"Can you blame her," said Paige, her voice nothing more than a shocked croak as her, Piper, and even Cole's bodies relaxed at Leo's reassuring information.

They felt the slight sudden peace wash over them before it was promptly broken by a shout from Phoebe as she came in through the front door. "Hey, anybody home? Where is everyone?"

"Oh, God!" reacted Paige.

Cole's body tensed once more.

Piper released her hand from Elle's as she staggered to her feat. "Paige…uh, I mean…Leo, orb Cole and…Elle to the guest room across the hall. You do whatever you need to do," said Piper as she motioned between Cole and Elle, who were both still covered in smaller various bruises and cuts despite Elle's now healed more-fatal wounds and even Cole's wounds which had just finished healing themselves. "I'll go make sure Phoebe doesn't…" Piper waved her hand, unsure of what she wanted to say, as she turned to go down stairs and ensure Phoebe stayed away from the soon to be occupied quest room.

"Thank you," was Cole's only raggedly spoken reply just as he let Leo orb him and Elle away, not having the strength of will to even concentrate enough to use his own teleportation power.

Piper paused in the attic doorway. "It's the least we can do."

Phoebe had only come home from her 'night out' to shower and change before going off to work. It was still relatively early in the morning, not even nine yet, when she left the house again with a small comment about her probably not going to be home that night either since she had another date. If it were any day earlier in the last three weeks, Piper would have seriously questioned what was going through Phoebe's mind that had caused her to go from an impassioned effort to win Cole back, to the cold detached, sex driven person she had been behaving as for the last few weeks now. In fact, Piper had questioned Phoebe's actions – multiple times – over the last three weeks, but right then she could care less. Her focus was Cole and the Castor girl. She couldn't deal with what Phoebe was feeling right then.

It wasn't until later that night, with Cole still standing guard over the Castor girl's bedside, when Piper, Paige, and Leo were sitting down for a relatively early dinner – and Phoebe once again absent – when Paige finally asked Leo the question she had voiced that morning when _this_ had all started.

"So, if Cole has the power of an Elder, why couldn't he heal Elle?" asked Paige as she dug into the lasagna and spinach salad Piper had made that evening when everything had calmed down.

"Well, I thought I told you he wasn't an Elder?" said Leo in confusion.

"Yes, but he still has an Elder's powers…"

"Oh, well…it's not the same thing. You see, Elders and Whitelighter only have one major difference apart from the title itself," explained Leo.

"The ability to throw lighting from their fingertips," said Piper.

"Yes. You see, Elders and Whitelighters can heal, orb, and even sense their charges, but other than the title and the fancy robes…"

"Not to mention the entitled wisdom and excessive arrogance," mumbled Piper pointedly in an attempt to ease the tension.

"That too" said Leo, playing along with Piper sarcasm. "But it's that lightning power that really differentiates them on a power level. Cole just has that power, but because he's not an Elder or a Whitelighter he can't orb or heal."

"But he can heal himself…" pointed out Paige.

"Well, that was more of an induvial power that the Elders gave him as part of his reward, before they assigned him as Elle's caretaker as it were."

"And that's why they made you Elle's Whitelighter," said Piper.

"Exactly," said Cole, his voice jolting everyone as they turned to look at him standing in the kitchen doorway.

"How are you doing? How's Elle? Is she awake yet?" asked Leo.

"Fine. We're both fine. Thanks for all your help earlier. She hasn't woken up yet. If anything I think the healing took most of the strength out of her," said Cole as Piper motioned for him to join them for dinner.

"Are you hungry? I made enough for everyone," said Piper.

"Uh…yeah. Starving actually," said Cole as he let Piper pile his plate high with her famous lasagna. He couldn't help the slight moan as he took his first bite. "You always did make the best food," he said softly with a fond friendly smile.

Piper couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes as Cole, the brother-in-law they had all condemned and tried to vanquish – more than once if she really thought about it – after everything still found it in his heart to compliment her cooking, something he had never failed to do.

"What's wrong with you, Paige?" said Cole archly. "I don't think I've ever seen you so…skittish." Cole continued to glance over at the wide eyed Paige who couldn't seem to stop staring at him from the seat next to his. He was just about to make another remark at her seemingly out of character behavior around him when she suddenly launched herself into his arms, her own arms flying around him as her body broke down into pitiful sobs. Cole dropped his fork as he froze, looking down weirdly at Paige's odd display of emotion at him no less. "Did she get a head injury while I was gone, or something?"

Leo and Piper let out snorts of amusement as Paige's blubbering finally became somewhat coherent.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything!" sobbed Paige before she jerked up out of her seat and raced out of the kitchen and up to her room to continue to marinate in her shame and guilt.

"Umm…" Cole's lack of response prompted Piper to respond for her sister's behavior.

"I think she's just feeling ashamed and guilty for…everything. As are we all. This is the first time we've been able to have a chance to apologize to you…in person," said Piper.

"There's no need," replied Cole as he continued eating. His voice was calm, but Piper could sense a sort of exhaustion seeping through it. "I got your letters. I finally found it in me to read them a couple days ago and…thank you, for the apology." Cole glanced up and noticed Piper's doubtful, but sheepish face. "It took me a while to actually read them. I thought when I did they'd be filled with your justifications for what you guys did, but when I actually did read them…well, it was nice and a relief when you all simply took initiative for what you guys did instead of…"

"Instead of making excuses? Yeah. I think we all wanted something, anyone, to blame instead of ourselves but when we did realize that we were in the wrong…I'm just glad that you know how sorry we all are for how things happened, for what we did…and didn't do." The last was Piper referring to the fact that they didn't notice that Cole needed their help, that they didn't help them when they should have.

"Um…you guys should know, even though I have forgiven you, Paige, and Leo, I haven't quite forgiven…" Cole's words were cut off when the kitchen door swung open and in walked…"Phoebe."

"Cole?" Phoebe was frozen as she gazed in shock at her husband – no, ex-husband – who was sitting at her kitchen table and eating lasagna with her sister and brother-in-law.

"Hello? Cole? Are you…" Elle's voice promptly ended as she entered the kitchen and realizing she had interrupted what was undoubtedly a very tense moment. "Oh…there you are."

Phoebe whipped around at the sound of a woman's voice that she didn't recognize. Her eyes widened as she took in the strange young woman's blood and grime covered appearance. The ragged looking jeans and simple blood soaked t-shirt seemed to only add to her shabby entrance.

"Elle," Cole's voice answered Phoebe's question as she immediately realized that the delicate and unkempt looking young woman that stood before her was none other than Elle Castor. "Are you alright? Did Leo heal everything?" asked Cole as he jumped from his seat at the table, Leo and Piper got to their feet as well, and rushed to her side. His hands immediately but careful grasped her jaw and chin as he gently tilted her head this way and that way, trying to see for himself that Leo had healed every little scratch and bruise through the blood and grime that covered her.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on!?" cried Phoebe in a desperate attempt to get the man she loved to stop touching another woman right in front of her.

The moment Paige re-entered the kitchen, Piper immediately grabbed her attention in the hopes of diffusing a major argument before it even began. "Paige, honey, why don't you help Elle get cleaned up. Maybe find her some clothes for her to sleep in tonight?"

Paige nodded her head vigorously before she turned and grabbed the attention of their new house guest. "Hey, sweetie, why don't you come with me, I'll take you upstairs and get you all washed up," said Paige and she gently took the younger girls hand in one of hers. She caught Elle's wary look and quickly reassured her of who she was and that her intentions were good. "I'm Paige, one of Leo's charges, and his sister-in-law." Her introduction seemed to put Elle at ease and she followed Paige out of the kitchen.

Leo noticed Cole's tense stance as Phoebe continued to stare at him, her longing not at all concealed. "Hey, um…Cole why don't we go up to the attic and you can tell me about what happened early. I'm sure the Elders will want to know anything you can tell me," said Leo as he walked up to stand before Cole.

"Yeah," was Cole's only dejected response as he too left the kitchen with Leo trailing after him.

"Piper," cried Phoebe as she turned to her elder sister for an explanation. "What the hell is going on?"

Piper let out a deep sigh as she realized just how long of a night it was going to be.

 **A/N: Just a tiny clarification (something I couldn't really work into the chapter itself) about the Elders' Punishment regarding Leo & the Charmed Ones. So, while Piper/Leo did eventually go along with the plan to kill/vanquish Cole b/c of the whole Source debacle, they were the two people that expressed the most regret, the most maturity, & were more willing to put in the time & effort to actually try to find the mysterious Ultimate Innocent they were destined to save. Basically, Leo/Piper, like always, were the most responsible in a situation that was horrible no matter what way you spin it. As such, I did not think it fair to take away any of Piper's powers or to clip Leo's wings. However, they did still go along with it & so I didn't think it would be fair to punish Paige/Phoebe & not them. So, the Elders' told Leo that until Piper & her sisters can behave like a real loving family they were not allowed to bring their own child into this world; which to me makes sense considering they did just try to kill/vanquish one of their main family members. None of the punishments are permanent but I did think that due to the hostility towards Cole when it came to Paige/Phoebe that their punishments should be a bit more severe & aimed more towards their powers. The punishments were based more on what would hurt each of them the most. Piper/Leo always wanted a family & a normal life the most, so their family plans are put on hold & the somewhat-more-normal-life they would have gotten as a reward had they saved their Ultimate innocent was taken away from them. Paige & Phoebe are the sisters that have always enjoyed their powers the most & used them the most for personal gain so some of their powers were taken away & given certain limitations. Since Piper/Leo were having problems conceiving anyway I figured I wouldn't do too much damage by putting the pause on their plans for kids they can't technically have yet based on the show's timeline. As such, Piper & Leo were shown leniency by the Elders.**

 **Also, the reason I had Phoebe think she was pregnant but had it be a false positive was to show Phoebe as a character who truly did not realize the things she had: a loving husband who adored her and would do anything for her (but she was the one to betray & reject him in the end), possibility of starting her own family in her own home, etc. Basically, Phoebe COULD have had it all but she threw it all away. The possibility of her being pregnant was her having to realize exactly just how much she lost when she betrayed Cole. Finally, not only was I shocked when Phoebe on the show couldn't tell Cole was being possessed & in turn blamed him for everything in spite of the fact that she does have a degree in psychology & Paige was a social worker & specialized in noticing when something was wrong with someone (if they were in pain/suffering/abused, all the things the Source's entity was doing to Cole). They are both trained to help people not just magically but professionally & yet they didn't see it coming. That just baffles the hell out of me! I also had always been annoyed by how the show, & others like it, always tried to distinguish the difference between killing & vanquishing & how the sisters are so ok with taking another's life. Killing is killing. Murder is murder. The differences behind the act can be different & even justified at times but the act itself is still the same. Leave me some reviews & let me know what you guys think!**


	3. 2 Guests

**A/N: Thank you for your continued support; your favorites/reviews are very helpful. For those who question Cole's innocence, or whether he was really possessed, I've re-watched** _ **We're Off to See the Wizard**_ ** & the ep. **_**Charmed & Dangerous**_ **, the second of which is the episode where Cole is possessed by the Source. When the Seer says the Source's power went "into the void," for me ( & many others) she's referring to Cole's void. The void left behind when Phoebe vanquished his demon half, stripping him of his demonic powers, & like Phoebe said in the episode **_**Black as Cole**_ **, "We vanquished half of you." It goes to show that Cole was missing a part of himself, leaving behind a "void." It's easy for the Source's essence to possess Cole b/c he was magically vulnerable by missing half of himself. I won't deny that Cole did some pretty sketchy & downright evil things in his time before & after he fell in love with Phoebe. For those enjoying this story, I'd like to reassure you that I will NEVER abandon it. I will ALWAYS finish the stories I start. It'll take time; real life has a bad habit of getting in the way of my writing time. I'm sorry for not getting this chapter out sooner as I planned & thank you for your continued patience.**

 **-P.S. This story is still an alternate to the ending of Charmed S.4 & goes AU from here on out. Thus, a certain elder that was a threat to the sisters in S.6 is not a threat to them…yet.**

 _ **Chapter Two) Guests**_

"I wasn't just trying to help you get away from Phoebe, you know. We really should talk about what happened," said Leo as he watched Cole stare at the door to the attic, as if he were afraid Phoebe would burst through the attic at any moment.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Well…" Cole turned to look at Leo, his face the very definition of confusion, his arms crossed across his sculpted chest and a frown on his handsome face. "I'm not sure I'd make much sense if I tried to explain it."

"You know, why don't we go talk to the Elders? Maybe it would be easier for you to speak directly to them? Maybe they can help brainstorm whatever it was that you and Elle faced in the Underworld. And I'm certain the sisters can keep an eye on Elle," suggested Leo.

Just then, they heard a ruckus.

A ruckus called Phoebe.

"He's my husband, Piper! I have a right to know what's going on," cried out Phoebe. Her footsteps grew louder and closer to the attic with every passing second.

Cole seemed to allow that to make his decision for him. "Sure, I'll race you up there," said Cole as he disappeared in a puff of plum colored smoke, he appreciated the fact that the Elders had given him his new teleportation power. Leo orbed after him in swirl of glowing lights.

 **OOO**

"He's my husband, Piper! I have a right to know what's going on," cried out Phoebe as she attempted to race up the manor stairs to get to Cole. Piper moved faster, though. Phoebe may have always been the best at self-defense, but Piper had always been the fastest. It was because she was the smallest. She had less weight and muscle to carry, small enough to move with a swift agility.

"I think you mean ex-husband," replied Piper.

That seemed to give Phoebe pause.

"Piper, I love him," said Phoebe with tears in her eyes and a frog in her throat.

"You've had a funny way of showing it lately," mumbled Piper

Phoebe chose that moment to shove her way passed Piper and into the attic…

…which was empty.

Piper walked in behind her younger sister and took a seat in one of the lone mismatched chairs that were scattered throughout the attic. Phoebe looked just as dejected as Piper was certain that Cole felt.

"Phoebe, honey…"

"I just wish I knew why he hasn't forgiven me. We're supposed to be together forever…" cried Phoebe.

"Well, honey…we vanquished him," said Piper. She tried to keep her tone neutral and not accusing.

"Not really! He's not dead! I just wish…"

"Phoebe, marriage is a lot more than just wishing things were a certain way," said Piper in a voice so serious that Phoebe was certain she'd never used it before. "You'll fight, you'll say things to each other, you'll do things that hurt each other…even if it's not on purpose and sometimes…sometimes you lose each other. Love can survive a lot, but I don't think it can survive attempted _murder_ ," said Piper.

Just then Piper felt overwhelmed by the sudden realization that, yes, they'd tried to _kill_ Cole. They always said "vanquish" in reference to fighting demons, but...

Was there really a difference?

Vanquish?

Murder?

They both had the same outcome.

Sure, Piper didn't regret _killing_ the demons they had vanquished. They'd had cause to! Not just because those demons were evil, having done evil things. But, because the demons almost always came after them first. They fought and killed them in order to protect themselves. It was kill or be killed. But Cole had been innocent, just as they themselves had been each and every time they'd been possessed.

"He's forgiven you," said Phoebe, a touch of hope in her voice. If Cole could forgive her sisters and Leo, then surely he'd forgive her too, eventually. Right?

"Sweetie, Cole didn't love me. He certainly didn't love Paige or Leo," said Piper, as Phoebe's voice brought her out of her own musings.

 _He's forgiven Paige_ , thought Phoebe. _He has to forgive me!_

"Honestly, I don't think Cole even liked any of us. He put up with us. He fought alongside us, and he was courteous. I think most of that had to do with the fact that he loved you," continued Piper. "Not to mention he's lived over a century!"

With that said, Piper seemed to have yet another epiphany. Good lord! She could only imagine the things Cole had witnessed, the things he'd had to do to survive, in both the human world and the Underworld!

She and her sisters had been witches for almost four years now and already the strain, the constant need to survive, putting their lives on hold – putting their lives in jeopardy – had taken its toll on them all. Hell, they'd already lost one sister to this life!

 _How many people has Cole lost? How many loved ones has he watched die_? Piper wondered.

"He's from a different generation, one that was probably polite even to their enemies," said Piper. "I think it was easy for him to forgive us because, it wasn't as painful. We'd never accepted him fully into the family so, maybe he even saw it coming. But, you…"

"I was supposed to love him, not try and kill him," finished Phoebe as she collapsed into one of the chairs that surrounded the round table that sat in the center of the attic. "I still love him, Piper. I know we're technically divorced but…" Phoebe paused, breathing deeply, hoping that the breath she released would blow away all of her problems. "I know I haven't been exactly faithful lately. Well, I don't really have a husband to be faithful to, now. I just…"

"You needed a distraction," said Piper. "I can understand that."

"You can?" Phoebe was surprised. If anything, Piper had been the most conservative of their sisters when it came to her sexuality.

"Dan," said Piper, as if the man's name was an explanation in itself.

"Dan? I thought you…"

"Loved him? No," said Piper matter-of-factly. "I cared for him. Don't get me wrong. And believe me, I wanted to love him. I wish I could've loved him even half as much as I love Leo. I think given time and if Leo had stayed away longer, I could've really loved him. But, looking back on what I did feel for him, he was a distraction. I _wanted_ to forget everything I felt for Leo, and Dan helped me do that." Piper paused. "For a time."

"But then Leo came back," said Phoebe. If things worked out for Piper and Leo, then surely they'd work out for her and Cole.

"Phoebe, Leo and I are very different from you and Cole," said Piper. She could tell that instead of dissuading Phoebe and helping her to try to move on from Cole, her talk was simply encouraging her younger sister's hope.

"You've killed Leo countless times," said Phoebe, almost accusingly, as if Piper's faults excused her own.

"No, honey. Leo is already dead. He can't be killed. You know that! Only a Dark Lighter can harm Leo. If anything, me using my power on Leo was just an extreme – and probably not very healthy way – of me lashing out. And that certainly doesn't excuse me for doing _that_ to Leo!" Piper gave her sister a pointe look before adding, "And my actions certainly do not excuse your own actions against Cole. You tried to _kill_ him! We all did! That's not something easily forgiven…and certainly not something a person can just forget. I think you're in shock and denial."

"But Piper!"

"No! If you want to fight for Cole, then fight for him. But don't keep him from moving on. He may only learn to hate you if you do. Just, let things work themselves out," said Piper, but she feared Phoebe's stubbornness was going to stand in the way of Cole eventual happiness. "Instead of pushing yourself onto Cole, maybe just try to be his friend for a while. But don't expect for him to want that friendship be anything more than what it is."

 **OOO**

"This isn't possible," said Elder Ramus. "As the new Ultimate Power, Ms. Castor is immune to all magic. How could the demons have done what you say?" At Cole's affronted look, Ramus amended, "I do not mean to say that I don't believe you, Mr. Turner. I can assure you of _that_. I am merely…baffled."

Cole seemed satisfied to what was likely the closest thing to an apology that an Elder would ever give, certainly to him of all people.

"Ramus is right," said the Elder Gideon, an old friend of Leo's. "When the Powers That Be granted Elle Castor as the Ultimate Power, she was bestowed with magical immunity. The very thing the Charmed Ones _would've_ been blessed with had they become the Ultimate Power. The question is, 'How were the demons able to counter that gift?'"

"Mr. Turner is it possible that the Hollow was released?" inquired the Elder Odin.

"No, not to my knowledge," answered Cole as he turned to look to Leo for more confirmation.

"There's have been no sign that it's been released again. And even if it was, would the Hollow be powerful enough to counteract such a blessed gift?"

"Cole," began the Elder Sandra. She was the one to personally bestow Cole with the powers that had been granted to him by the Elders. She was also his own personal council, which she had volunteered for, in hopes of helping the former demon come to grips with his evil past and his new alighted future. "You've been possessed by both the Hollow and the Source. Do you believe either would have such power?" She was also the most welcoming and friendly towards non-Elders.

"The Source? No," said Cole.

"You are certain?" asked Odin, his olive toned skin glinted oddly in the bright light of the Heavens. His balding head and slightly pudgy build was the only indication of his age when he had become an Elder.

"Yes, the Source is pure evil, but the Blessed gifts bestowed upon Elle and I seem to be on equal par only in the sense of pure…"

"Pure good," finished Leo.

"Yes."

"And what of the Hollow?" asked Gideon.

"Yes…but I doubt it was the Hollow that enabled the demons to take us like that," said Cole.

"You sound confused, but certain," said Sandra. Her short cropped ash blond hair bobbed just below her chin.

"Being possessed by the Hollow and the Source allows me a certain sense towards their power. I sensed neither from the demons that took Elle," explained Cole.

"Very well. We will deliberate this information. Meanwhile, how are you and Elle fairing after such an ordeal?" asked Sandra.

"We're well enough. I'm more worried about how the demons were able to capture Elle and torture her like they did," said Cole. It was very valid point.

"When I was healing her, I didn't sense evil energy, at least not the kind that I'm able to sense with demons or even magic at all," said Leo.

Whitelighters and Elders had the ability to sense different forms of magic. Good magic and evil magic had two very distinct energies or auras. They could also sense human energy, though it was far more muted then the energy of magical beings, good or bad.

"What kind of energy were you able to sense?" asked Gideon.

"It was definitely dark energy, but very muted. Not magical."

"You think Ms. Castor was tortured by a human?" Ramus sounded as surprised as the other Elders looked.

"Perhaps, though it opens to door to even more questions. Doesn't exactly answer any of our own." Leo sounded weary and frustrated. It was his and Cole's job to protect Elle Castor and the mystery behind recent events was…not at all comforting.

"Indeed," remarked Odin. "It certainly begs the question of how on her earth a human managed to get into the Underworld let alone have the ability to capture and torture Ms. Castor."

"Do you think the demons have realized she immune to their dark magic? Maybe they've employed a human to do their dirty work for them." Leo looked worried though intrigued by Cole's theory.

"It's possible. The only thing that can harm Ms. Castor in any way is that of human means," said Sandra.

"Perhaps it would be best if you both remained with the Charmed Ones," suggested Odin.

Cole looked chagrined at the mere idea. The Halliwell Manor had never been his home. Phoebe had felt like home, but not anymore. The least he felt around her was wariness and the most he felt was utter betrayal. Both were breeding emotions for distrust. He felt distrust for Phoebe in spades.

"We don't doubt you or Leo's ability in protecting Ms. Castor. It would merely be logical for you both to stay in such a place where so much good magic resides," Odin pointed out.

Well, Cole couldn't deny their logic.

Didn't mean he liked it.

 **OOO**

After Elle settled into one of the second floor bathrooms – the one located conveniently in between Phoebe and Paige's rooms – with a nice fluffy towel waiting for her after she finished her shower, and a pair of Piper's most comfortable pajamas, Paige made her way up the attic stairs. She'd heard Piper and Leo moving around up there.

"What are you guys doing?" Paige asked as she walked into the attic to see Leo maneuvering an old dresser across the room. Piper was gathering some blankets.

"Cole and Elle are gonna be staying with us for…well, we're not really certain how long. The guest room is already made up," answered Piper. The only reason the guest room was made up was because it was never really used. It was just always ready and waiting.

"Elle's gonna sleep there and Cole's taking the secondary attic," added Leo as he pushed the dress through the main attic, across the small narrow hall at the top of the stairs and into the much smaller secondary attic that was never used.

"Oh, you guys need any help?" Paige asked.

"Sure, take this extra blanket down to the guestroom and help Elle settle in for the night, would you? I'll take care of Cole," said Piper as she concentrated on gathering up everything she thought Cole might need.

"Sure thing," said Paige.

When she made it into the guest room, next to Piper and Leo's room, she was pleased to see that Piper was right. It was ready and waiting, if just a tad dusty. The air was a little musty, too, so she opened the window a little to let the San Francisco evening breeze cleanse the room. After putting the extra blanket at the end of the made-up full sized, old wrought iron bed, Paige grabbed a small hand towel from Piper's bathroom to dust the small room.

Other than the bed, the only other furniture in the room was a comfy looking leather armchair in the nook of the bay window and a simple wood dresser. The closet was thin, with stacked shelves and looked more like a closet for folded linen rather than clothes.

Paige was just finishing the dusting when a wet haired, fresh faced Elle Castor peaked inside.

"Hey there," said Paige with barely a glance as she finished up the dusting. "I hope this will be okay."

"Yes, thank you. Um…where's Cole?" At Elle's weary voice and innocent question Paige turned to answer her and was struck dumb.

The girl was not so much pretty as she was ethereal.

Elle was a waif. She was short, barely over five feet tall. Her wet red hair was rendered dark by the shower she'd just taken, deepening the color to that of red wine. The water weighed her natural curls down a bit, making it seem a little longer than when it was dry. Leo's initial description at dinner the other night of her being pale was an understatement. Paige considered herself pale. Elle, on the other hand, was so pale she was downright luminescent, as though her skin reflected light, making her have an ethereal glow.

Her eyes were blue, but the redness of her hair and the paleness of her skin emphasized them, making them appear just ever so slightly the color of lavender. Elle's body was fit, even more so than Phoebe's. Her arms and legs small but toned from Cole's training and the near constant battling with demons.

She looked too otherworldly to be called beautiful, but Paige wasn't entirely certain she knew of any other word that could describe the younger girl in front of her. Breathtaking? No. Otherworldly, that was the only word that could describe Elle Castor.

She wasn't as curvaceous as Phoebe. Elle's curves were too soft for her to be described as curvy. Her body was still purely feminine. Her smile was innocent, but her eyes, Paige noted, were haunted.

"Um…" Paige tried to remember what she'd been asked.

"I'm here," said Cole, his voice coming from just outside the guest bedroom.

It was strange seeing someone as tall and masculine as Cole towering over someone as small, delicate and feminine as Elle Castor. Yet, at the same time, they looked so natural together. They both had that same mysterious but pleasant aura that drew people in.

"I brought some things from the condo for you. I don't know how long the Elders want us to stay here so I figured you'd want some of your own things."

"Oh, thank you," said Elle. When she smiled at Cole, his entire demeanor softened. There had always been something rough, wild even, about Cole. Yet, as Paige continued to stare openly at them, she was surprised to see how Elle seemed to soften every part of Cole's being.

"Did you want anything to eat?" Paige jolted as her own voice seemed to break through the pleasant peace that seemed to radiate off Elle and Cole as they continued to stare at each other as if they were in their own little world.

"Yes," said Elle, her penetrating gaze immediately shifting to Paige. Her gaze was very serious, as if Paige had asked her about her political status rather than about food.

Cole chuckled.

"She's always hungry."

"I am not!" Elle's indignant cry just made Cole chuckle and snicker more.

Their playful attitude, so different from the desperate life-and-death moment they'd experienced earlier that day, made Paige relax.

"Come on, sweetie. I'll heat you up something," said Paige as she lead Cole and Elle downstairs to the kitchen. She didn't miss how Cole's hand lay innocently though comfortingly upon Elle's lower back.

They were just making their way through the formal dining room when a voice broke through the peace.

"Cole?"

Cole stiffened. Wary defensiveness seeped into his muscles, into his very bones. He turned to see Phoebe standing expectantly in the sitting room across from the bottom of the stairs.

He was grateful to Paige for leading Elle into the kitchen without him after he'd assured his ward that he'd join them shortly.

 **OOO**

"How are you?" Phoebe asked hesitantly.

"I'm…frustrated," said Cole.

"Nice to know I'm not the only one," said Phoebe with a cheeky grin, but Cole wasn't feeling flirtatious.

"What do you want Phoebe?"

"I thought we could talk."

Cole let out a humorless laugh. "Phoebe, I really can't do this with you right now." He was just about to make his way to the kitchen when Phoebe planted herself in front of him.

"No! We have to talk about this. About us!"

"Talk? Where was the offer to talk when I was being possessed!" Cole felt tired. God, he was so tired.

"Listen, Phoebe. I don't have time to talk about us right now," said Cole as he rubbed his hands roughly over his face, hoping to wipe his frustrations away.

"But…"

"I have things to deal with Phoebe. And I've had a very long day."

"This is important. We are important!" Phoebe wasn't gonna let this go, let him go, without a fight. He knew her too well; she was far too stubborn to just give him peace.

"No, you know what's important to me right now? Protecting my ward. God, Phoebe, I found her being tortured. She was being carved up with a knife!" Cole swallowed as his voice hitched. He recalled how they'd been fightin in the Underworld. They're been so many demons and they'd gotten separate. Now that he thought about it, that's probably what had been the demons' intentions all along. Find a way to get Elle away from her protector, away from him.

He remember to stark fear hitting him like a punch to the gut when he'd finally found her. She'd been laid out on a slab of rock – an altar, maybe? – her clothes torn. A man – not a demon – had stood over her, his hands bloody, holding a jagged knife.

Cole hadn't thought about a fight or killing the bastard. He'd let loose a stream of lighting from his fingertips, courtesy of the Elders, sending the madman flying into stone. He'd called for Leo and gotten Elle to safety as fast as he could.

"The worst part is that me, Leo and the Elders have no idea how the demons were able to torture her. We have no idea who's behind it or why. But she's my ward. An innocent. _My_ innocent. And the one thing you and you're sisters taught me was that _nothing_ is more important than saving an innocent. _Nothing_. Isn't that right, _Phoebe_?" Cole's voice was low and harsh as he stared his ex-wife down.

 **OOO**

Later that night, as Cole lay wide awake – despite how tired he felt – on the makeshift bed Leo and Piper had made up for him in the attic, he considered maybe he'd been a little too harsh with Phoebe. But why couldn't she see that anything between them had to come from him now?

He may have forgiven Leo and her sisters, and maybe he had even forgiven Phoebe. But, he didn't fully trust her. The others hadn't really ever trusted him so their actions had felt so much like a betrayel. But Phoebe…God! How could she not see that he'd been possessed? How could she have been so blind to his pain?

He'd spent their entire relationship keeping her safe, teaching her to defend herself. He taught her to fight like a demon so she'd be better able to defeat demons. He'd shared everything he knew about the Underworld. Betrayed everything he'd been taught and raised to be for _her_.

And the _one_ time he'd needed her trust, her loyalty, her _love_ …

He was interrupted from his musings by the door to his "bedroom" squeaking open.

"Cole?"

Elle's tragic little voice shocked the harshness right out of him. He'd never thought of himself as a soft or gentle man, but she brought something out in him that no one else had. Not even Phoebe. He didn't just feel protective of her. He felt like himself around her.

When he'd been assigned to her, the Elders had seen fit to tell her his life's story whether he wanted them to or not. After their first initial meeting he'd expected judgement, sarcasm, anything but the open affection and acceptance she'd given him.

Never once had she made him feel like he needed to prove himself to her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Cole asked as he sat up in the full sized bed. The two mattresses didn't sit on an actual bedframe, but it was comfortable and the room of the secondary attic was open and clean. He gone to bed in a simple white T-shirt and his boxers.

"Can't sleep," said Elle as she made her way to stand at the end of his bed.

"I can imagine," said Cole as he held his hand out to her. Being tortured didn't exactly induce pleasant dreams.

Elle made her way over the bed as Cole wrapped her in one of the many – too many, really – blankets Piper had given him.

Elle fell asleep a lot easier with Cole at her side, keeping the nightmares as bay.

 **A/N: I often felt like the show did its best to shoehorn Cole into the role of 'abuser' just to have an example of an abusive relationship on the show. It never felt right b/c he was, to many, portrayed as a victim himself when the Source's essence possessed him. In shoehorning him into the 'abuser' role, I felt – as someone who has tragically experienced an abusive relationship before – that it was a misrepresentation of an abusive relationship. I felt totally incensed by the show's portrayal of an abusive relationship. Instead of turning Phoebe into yet** _ **another**_ **victimized woman, it would've been refreshing to see a man as the victim instead of the abuser. Cole was the victim of the Source's abuse over his mind, body & magic. Instead of victimizing Phoebe it would've been if she'd been made into Cole's savior! There's also the psychological aspect to Cole's powers he absorbed in the Demonic Waste Land, which later made him more susceptible to evil. There are many times when he **_**tries**_ **to use his powers for good or doesn't use them at all. All that power helps to drive him crazy ( & being haunted by floating Avatar heads certainly didn't help) & leads to his ultimate destruction as a good person. "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely!" It doesn't excuse his actions, but on a psychological basis it explains them. Cole isn't a perfect person, but he is the perfect character: he's complex, difficult & unique.**

 **Another double standard throughout seasons 4-8: Paige is the one that is allotted many questions. She questions how her sisters do things & even questions their relationships! While that is what sisters do, it is a bit one-sided. She's the only one that seems allowed to question things.** **When Phoebe/Piper interferes in Paige's relationships she gets pissed & her sisters are shown as being in the wrong, even when they're right.** **Richard, who has an addiction to magic & temporarily killed the Charmed Ones, yet when her sisters voice their concerns, Paige blatantly ignores them even when they're proven right.** **When Kyle Brody is obsessed with the Avatars & temporarily kills Leo & almost kills him a 2** **nd** **time, Paige is not concerned & has no remorse when Piper expresses her opinion of Kyle. Paige sides with Kyle each time he causes trouble. She'd rather trust a man she's been sleeping with for a month or two, but not her own sisters. Kyle himself would use his parents' deaths as an excuse for his behavior. His parent's deaths should just explain his behavior not excuse it.** **Piper/Phoebe initially dismiss Paige's concerns about Cole, but they do give her the chance to voice them & even consider her points. IE: Phoebe vanquished Cole after receiving a premonition about Cole which only happened after Paige put doubt in her mind/heart about Cole, & Piper even apologizes when Kyle is killed. Piper/Phoebe were the ones making the compromises/concessions to please Paige, yet when they have concerns Paige doesn't want to acknowledge them when they're right. Phoebe/Piper might have been reserved when Paige joined them, but that was based on them knowing nothing about each other, not preconceived judgments. The moment Paige learns Cole's a demon, she immediately draws a conclusion to the type of person he is w/o getting to know him. Paige basically stalks Cole to prove he's evil. Something Prue didn't do even though she was suspicious of Cole, too. Paige is allotted a say in her sisters' personal lives but they can't have a say in hers. To answer one reviewer, as awesome as the show was, as empowering as it was to female characters/actresses, it had a TON of double standards **_**throughout**_ **the series.**

 **Lastly, Phoebe' promiscuity in the last chapter was based mostly on her characterization throughout the series. She had a habit of turning to sex to comfort herself, which is fine. A woman should be allowed to enjoy her sexuality without being slut-shamed. I hope that explains Phoebe's detached behavior in the last chapter.**

 **-Thank you for reading. Please leave me a review to let me know what you all think.**


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